Richmondshire

Richmondshire's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in health, housing tenure and marriage.

The population passed 50,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Richmondshire increased by 11%, from just over 47,000 to 52,000.

The addition of almost 5,000 people means this area's population was the second-fastest-growing in Yorkshire and The Humber and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Richmondshire was home to, on average, 0.28 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it England's third-least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Richmondshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Richmondshire increased by three years, from 37 to 40 years.

This remote area had a slightly higher average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 1,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 12% of people in Richmondshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Richmondshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More worked long hours

Richmondshire saw England's second-largest rise in the proportion of people working long hours.

During this period, Richmondshire overtook South Holland and Eden to become the English local authority area with the third-highest percentage of long hours workers.

In 2011, just under one in four (23%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Richmondshire said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 20% in 2001. The percentage that worked less than 16 hours in a week increased from 1.7% to 2.4%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of people working long hours occurred in City of London (from 24% to 27%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to City of London should be made with caution.

Long hour working was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Richmondshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.7% to 3.7% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (85%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73% in 2001. The percentage of Richmondshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Yorkshire and The Humber. As a result, this area had the region’s lowest proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad and the highest proportion of residents that perceived their health as good or very good.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Richmondshire decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Richmondshire, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

Richmondshire saw Yorkshire and The Humber's second-largest rise in the proportion of employed people.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) people aged 16 to 74 in Richmondshire said they were employed, compared with 56% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 2.5% to 2.9%.

Across the region, only Barnsley saw a greater rise in the proportion of employed people (from 49% to 51%).

During this period, Richmondshire overtook Selby to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the highest percentage of employed people.

The rate of employment was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in Richmondshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Ryedale and Hambleton.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 9.1% to 16%.

Private renting was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households that rented privately across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

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